Forearm splint



Nov. 14, H950 F. c. SHAW 4FOREARM SPLINT Filed Nov. 30, 1948 maeeeiiaeemevn".

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 14, `1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE l l 2,529,786 I v FOREARM SPLINT Frederick C. Shaw, Lincoln, Ark.

Application November 30, 1948, Serial No. 62,615

(Cl. 12S-89) 1 Claim.

tion to provide 'an adjustable forearm splint includingv upper and 'lower `splint members, each member comprising'movably connected sections adjustable transversely, and each member additionally including a pressure bar that serves as a connector member for the sections, said pressure bar being adjustable together with the sections which it connects.

Another important object is to provide a splint as described that will be applicable with ease, adjustable to fit different persons, and which will be capable of being positioned with exactness for the purpose of exerting pressure properly upon the ulna and radius bones.

With the foregoing and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts, hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawing Figure 1 is a top plan view of a splint constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational View portions. being shown in longitudinal section, showing the splint as it appears when applied to the forearm, said forearm being illustrated in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail, as may be readily noted from Figs. 2 and 3, the splint includes upper and lower members, and each member includes a pair of adjustably connected splint sections.

Considering nrst the upper splint member, one section is designated 5, and has its outer longitudinal edge 6 downturned as best seen from Fig. 3. The depending longitudinal flange 6 extends downwardly in a gradually and transversely curved arrangement, to conform to the curvature of the forearm F of the person to whom the splint is being applied.

The other splint section of the upper splint member includes a transversely flat body that laps the body of the first splint section, as best seen from Fig. 3, and said second splint section is provided along one longitudinal edge with the depending flange 8, also transversely curved to conform with the curvature of the arm.

modating the raised portion of the users wrist.

At its front end, the upper splint memberis gradually upturned'as at I I, so as to cover a portion of the back of the users hand, while leaving the ngers free for normal movement.

I connect the sections of the upper splint member for transverse adjustment, and to this end, there is formed in the upper splint section 5 the transversely extended slots I2, spaced longitudinally of the splint section, these registering with the transverse slots I3 of the splint section 1. Extended through the respective slots are the screws I4, and washers I5 can be used in association with said screws.

Screws lll are tllreadable downwardly into a pressure bar I6 that extends longitudinally of the splint for a portion of the length thereof, and said pressure bar I6 is preferably formed from such material as brass or the like, while the remainder of the splint is preferably formed from aluminum material. I have found that this permits the'splint to be fluoroscoped successfully, with the brass bars standing out boldly to show their position in relation to the osseous tissue.

The pressure bar I6, as seen from Fig. 3, is half round in cross sectional contour, and has its end beveled and tapered as at I'I.

The lower splint member is formed in general along the same lines as the upper splint member, though as seen from Fig. 2, it is preferably shorter. The lower splint member includes the detachably connected splint sections I8 and I9, having the upwardly extended longitudinal anges 2D and 2 I. Screws 22 extend through the transverse slots of the lapping splint sections, and are threadable in the pressure bar 23, formed to the same cross sectional and longitudinal conformation as the upper pressure bar IG.

The use and operation of the splint may now be readily noted. Obviously, each splint member is adjustable as to width, to accommodate the particular forearm to which the splint is to be applied, and regardless of the thickness of said forearm, the splint members are adjustable in such a manner as to cause the flanges 6, 8, 20, 2l to press tightly against the sides of the forearm, thus to apply pressure to the sides of the ulnas and radius bones after union is made.

While said pressure is being supplied to the sides of the ulna and radius bones, pressure will also be applied by the pressure bars I 6 and Z3.

modate a particular forearm, but also, said transverse adjustment permits adjustment of the pressure bar I6 relative to the particular ulna and radius of the person to whom the splint is being applied. It is to be noted that the pressure bar can be adjusted bodily toward one side or the :r

other of the splint member, that is, inI directions disposed transversely of the length of the length of the splint. Additionally, one end of the pressure bar can be adjusted to a greater extent than the other end, to accommodate a particular condijtion, so -that said pressure bar can in eiect be offset relative to a line extended longitudinally and centrally of the splint or forearm.

The pressure bar i6, in addition, serves as-a connector member for the splint sections of each splint member, in cooperation with the screws applied to each splint member.

The lower splint member has its forward end downturned as at 24, to accommodate the curvature of the under side of the hand H.

What is claimed is:

In a splint member a pair of detachably connected lapping splint sections, and a pressure bar extended longitudinally of said sections, said sections having registering transverse slots, and fastening means extended through the slots and into the pressure bar, thus to permit relative transverse movement of the splint sections, for adjustments of said splint member as to Width, said pressure bar being adjustable bodily independently of the splint sections, and either end of the pressure bar being adjustable independently of the other end.

FREDERICK C. SHAW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the leof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 291,618 McNaughton Jan. 8, 1884 1,100,483 Houghton June 16, 1914 1,964,694 Longfellow June 26, 1934 

